Taiwan detects eight Chinese balloons for second straight day

For the second day in a row, eight Chinese balloons were detected surrounding Taiwan, five of which flew directly over the island, Taipei's defence ministry said Sunday. According to the ministry, the balloons were sighted on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year vacation, at a height of 12,000 to 35,000 feet. According to a graphic supplied by the ministry, five of the balloons went straight over the island, while one skirted its northern tip. China claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to take control of the self-governing island. In…